Phenotypic plasticity and water availability: responses of alpine herb species along an elevation gradient

Table 4 Selection gradient analysis on trait value and relative fitness of functional traits which displayed significant treatment responses for; A) Aciphylla glacialis, B) Oreomyrrhis eriopoda and C) Wahlenbergia ceracea

Species	β	P value	N
A) A. glacialis
Root Mass Ratio	−0.20	0.074	23
Leaf Size	0.51	<0.001	20
Stomatal Conductance	0.20	0.090	22
% N	0.01	0.940	11
B) O. eriopoda
Leaf Mass Ratio	0.02	0.707	63
Leaf Size	0.08	0.207	48
% N	−0.23	0.025	16
Total Leaf Count	−0.06	0.248	63
Water Use Efficiency	0.11	0.245	30
C) W. ceracea
Photosynthesis	−0.01	0.000	34
Root Mass Ratio	−0.05	0.813	53
High Elev	−0.03	0.455	29
Low Elev	−0.05	0.473	24
Stomatal Conductance	−0.04	0.544	29
High Elev	−0.02	0.756	16
Low Elev	−0.05	0.627	13
Total Leaf Count	0.14	0.001	57
High Elev	0.19	<0.001	29
Low Elev	0.09	0.228	28
δ ¹³c	0.22	0.007	17
High Elev	−0.18	0.232	9
Low Elev	0.21	0.067	8

Selection differentials were calculated combining data from plants of different elevations. In cases where elevation effect were significant (Figs. 1 and 2), additional analyses were performed for data from plants of the different elevations separately. Positive selection differentials indicate selection for larger values, while negative values indicate selection for smaller values of the trait. Significant responses are indicated by bolded p-value. n = number of pairs within each analysis

ISSN: 2053-7565